NBA Star Larry Sanders -- Nightclub Brawl Happened ... BECAUSE I'M BLACK!!

NBA star Larry Sanders is claiming his blackness was somehow a major factor in the insane bottle-throwing fight at a Milwaukee nightclub earlier this year.

Just one day after footage emerged showing the 6'11" Bucks star firing glass bottles at nightclub patrons during a Nov. 3 melee, Sanders posted a statement on Instagram ... saying, "I blame no one for my mistakes ... I take full responsibility for my actions."

But then he proceeds to play the race card ... saying, "This is something I've dealt with my whole life .. from being the black male being followed around the store to being the black male helped around the store."

"I've seen the American society from both ends..ppl are hypnotized by the media to feel and base certain judgement toward groups of ppl and they don't even know it..born into a system put in place before our existence."

"Good thing I didn't get jumped by a bunch of black guys that night or it would've been gang related ...lol sheeeeeeesh!!"

Blackness aside, Sanders was acting like a maniac in the nightclub -- and allegedly slashed someone's face open with one of the glass bottles he was wielding around that night.

Officials have said Sanders will not be prosecuted for the incident -- but we wouldn't be surprised if someone files a lawsuit against him in the near future.